Central Lakes Regional Planning Team

1. Central Lakes Regional Planning Team Dual Credit Tool Kit: Developing Relationships

2. Dual Credit Tool Kit: Developing Relationships Recognizing the consequences of impaired attachments/relationships The brain functions implicated in all dysfunctional childhood and adult behaviours: • Impulse control • Social awareness • Attention to what is appropriate • Emotional self-regulation • Based on research done by Gabor Mate M.D.

3. The brain’s three core defences against vulnerability and their implications to mental illness: • Shut-down • Detachment (emotional withdrawal, not caring) • Dissociation (i.e.. ADHD to psychosis) Please go to http://drgabormate.com/ to read some very worthy articles by Gabor Mate M.D. on childhood development, relationships, addictions, troubled youth, etc.

4. Important things to know and remember… • Relationships are not about love, they are about response and understanding. • The adolescent brain is still developing • We need to understand ourselves before we can build healthy relationships with others • Youth react to how we are at that moment • Impulse regulation is something we are not born with, and for many of these students it has not been developed • Sensitive youth are born with that temperament

5. Important things to know and remember… (cont’d) • Stress interferes with attachments and this interferes with development • We need not focus on the behaviour of the student but our relationship with the child and what may be causing the behaviour • The environment that one grows up in does not only shape their behaviour but the biology of the human brain. (i.e. improper development of incentive/motivation circuit may cause one to feel the need to use nicotine, cocaine, etc) This could be due to their past attachments, relationships, or stress. • They will use whatever substance they may be addicted to in the attempt to solve a problem and achieve one of the following three qualities i) relieve pain ii) pleasure/reward iii) attachment

6. Building Relationships With the Student and Keeping Them Engaged • Create a safe environment • Tell them about yourself • Find out students history…(from the individual themselves!!) • Help students find their passion and gift and work with it • See each student individually • Find out what THEY want to learn • Build responsibility • Be flexible • Show empathy • Ask about their interests outside of school • Make gratitude a part of their everyday lives • Celebrate heroes

7. Before you can get to know anything about your students, they need to get to know themselves… Try using some of the of the following tools with your students to help them to discover who they are and how they learn and communicate best • Attitude Inventory • Values Survey • Skills and Interests • Multiple Intelligences Assessment • My Temperaments Assessment • My Learning Style Questionnaire

8. Other great resources in the tool box to use to “Get To Know” and/or “Build Relationships” with/and amongst your students… • Introductory Journal #1 • Field Trip/Guest Speaker Ideas